The United Nations has demanded the Vatican “immediately remove” all clergy who are known or suspected child abusers and turn them over to authorities.

In an unprecedented report the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child said the Holy See should also hand over its archives on the sexual abuse of tens of thousands of children so culprits, as well as “those who concealed their crimes”, could be held accountable.

The watchdog’s exceptionally blunt paper – the most far-reaching critique of the Catholic Church hierarchy by the world body – followed its public grilling of Vatican officials last month.

“The committee is gravely concerned that the Holy See has not acknowledged the extent of the crimes committed, has not taken the necessary measures to address cases of child sexual abuse and to protect children, and has adopted policies and practices which have led to the continuation of the abuse by and the impunity of the perpetrators,” the report said….

Abusers had been moved from parish to parish or other countries “in an attempt to cover-up such crimes,” it added.

“Due to a code of silence imposed on all members of the clergy under penalty of excommunication, cases of child sexual abuse have hardly ever been reported to the law enforcement authorities in the countries where such crimes occurred,” the UN body said….